Aircraft construction



Nov. 8, 1932. R. B. JOHNSON AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 12, 1931wmf HIS ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 8, 1932 RICHARD B. JOHNSON, F criIonGo'QILLiN'oIs AIRCRAFTconsrnuorron Application filed August 12, 1931'. VSerial No. 556,654.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in aircraftconstruction, and has for its principal object the provision of animproved construction of this character which will be highly emcient inuse and economical in manufacture.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a heavier-than-aircraft that is compac has a relatively large payload space; isstructurally strong and safe; that is adaptable to water landings and ispossessed of pancaking ability; and in which high lifting efficiency issacrificed for light weight and in which high airfoil drag issubstituted for parasite resistance.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide an aircraft construction inwhich the 'fuselage and wing structures lare one and the same unit andcocxtensive with each other.

@ther objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

F l is a top plan View of an aircraft constructed in accordance with myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and showing thestructure as an airfoil; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 in Fig. 1.

In the drawing,

which illustrates a preferred and practical embodiment of the in-vrvention, a conventional landing gear is indicated at ancL is suspendedfrom my novel design of fuselage 11 which, in the present instance iscircular in plan and convex on the bottom to obtain the necessarydihedral.

Extending across the fuselage are wof main spars 12 and 13, the ribs 14being braced by a conventional arrangement of struts 15.

One or more power units 1G are vplaced in the airfoil nose and arecompletely cowled by the leading edge 17, the pilots cabin 18 space forpassengers and freight arranged being placed in the center ofthe nosewith along the spar 12. If air cooled engines 1 6 areV employed suitableopenings'may be pro,-y Vided in the leading edgell'to provide an airflow for the engines and louvres for the escape ofthe air may beprovided in the bottom of the airfoil back of the engine. Theelevator-ailerons 19 are hinged,as at 20, to supports 21 that extend, aschordsof a circle (F ig. 1), at about 45 lfrom the spar 13 toward therear edge 22 and these membersY 19 are so connected to the control stick29 that inaddition to acting as elevators they also act as ailerons,though this arrangement does not make the control system differ fromVthe conventional.V The vertical tail surface G5'- 24 extends from .therear edge22 along the foreand aft diameter 25 about thirty percent ofthe length of this diameterv and is gradually flared into the airfoil.Pivotally attached to the vertical tail surface 24, in la conven- 70tional mannergas at 28, and likewise con` trolled `by vconventionalelements from thev pilots cabin, is the vertical rudder-26, below lwhichand between the ailerons 19, is the horizontal stabilizer 2.7 that isadjustable in a vertical plane, as at 28, for reasons Well known in theart.

VBy reason ofthe short span or low aspect ratio of the ship embodying mynew design the lift thereof is between about 50% and of that of aconventional type of plane of equal wing area and airfoil section butbecause of the short span of my design and the comparative thickness ofthe combined fusef lage and wing structure, the' structural stresses arevery low and allow for light weight construction which compensates forlost lifting'eliiciency. Moreover, because of the short span the wingdrag is comparatively great but this is compensated for and offset bythe low parasite resistance since my novel design lacks the non-liftingunits and wing supports outside the airfoil on conventional ships, andsince parasite resistance increases rapidly with speed while wing dragdecreases up to a certain point I obtain an advantage by my new design.

The use of an airfoil, such as Ihave shown, with both center of pressuretravel results in the ship being inherently stable because of naturalsweeploads due to span taper which gives longitudinal and directionalstability, while the dihedral on the bottom gives lateral stability.

While I have shown my improved ,Wing structure as circular in plan viewI do not limit my improved design to this form but may apply it to anyforin,'sueh, for eX- ample, as oval, whose span-chord or aspect ratio issmall enough to allow the construction to be one unit with the controlsurfaces within the boundaries of the wing.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precis-edetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the apA pendedclaim. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patentis:

A heavier-th an-air craft including a wing structure Whose aspect ratiois about one to one, and control elements for the craft, the surfaces ofsaid control element-s being arranged substantially Witliin theboundaries of the Wing structure, said structure being substantiallycircular in plan view, and conveX on the bottom side thereof to providedihedral, said control elements including elevator-ailerons hingedlyconnected to the body of said craft and extending as'chords of a circleon opposite sides of the fore and aft diameter of said body. V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RICHARD B. JOHNSON.

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